A Friend in Fur is For Her
by mmooch
Summary: Buffy needs some comfort after being torn from heaven and he's just the wolf to do it. WARNING: the Scoobies pay for doing this to her.
1. Prologue: Werewolf Meets the Sentinel

**A Friend in Fur is For Her**

Summary: Buffy needs some comfort after being torn from heaven and he's just the wolf to do it. WARNING: the Scoobies pay for doing this to her.

Pairing: Buffy/Oz…eventually, but friends for now.

Timeline: Beginning season 6 BtVS, no clue on The Sentinel.

Warning: If you've read most of my other stories, you'll know that the Scoobies are not my favorite people. Keep this in mind and don't think that any amount of harsh reviews will change my mind. Yes, they've helped her and yes, she's made mistakes. I don't care! To me, they treat her far worse than she treats them. That is my opinion and that all there is to that. I don't read stories that paint Buffy in a bad light and then complain about it. As a matter of fact, I don't read them period. I suggest you do the same and not read my story if you want the Scoobies to be portrayed as heroes.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N1: Thanks to the reviewers from my _'Bunny, Buffy, What's the Difference?'_ fic that were wondering about a 'ship between the Slayer and the wolf. You inspired this piece.

A/N2: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

**Prologue: Werewolf Meets the Sentinel**

**Cascade, Washington**

Daniel 'Oz' Osborne sat quietly in the middle of his apartment living room, meditating. Since he had run from Sunnydale the year before, he was trying to get a better grasp on his wolf. Losing Willow to that girl, Tara, was no excuse for losing control like that. Until he was sure it wouldn't happen again, he couldn't stay and help the Scoobies. And that hurt…a lot. He missed them all.

So he ran, planning to make his way back to Tibet, when he happened to stop in this town in Washington. It felt amazingly clean after being at the Hellmouth. The was very little in the way of the supernatural here. On his third day, he found out why.

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**15 Months Ago…**

As luck would have it, he was leaving this coffee shop when a guy tried to snatch a purse from a woman a few feet away. On instinct, Oz tackled the criminal to the ground, growling very low. It _should_ have been too low for anyone else to hear, but suddenly he felt a hand slam down on his shoulder and yank him up. He turned and saw a guy that was well over half a foot taller than him glaring at _him_ and not the pursesnatcher.

"What are you doing? He stopped that guy from stealing my purse!" the elderly lady snapped at the newcomer. Oz was willing to bet that if she'd had her purse, she'd be smacking the guy with it right now.

But apparently it was enough to wake the guy up from the trance that he was slipping into. He let Oz go and reached in his coat pocket for his badge and handcuffs. "Detective Ellison, Cascade PD," he introduced himself to the crowd as he took the criminal into custody, "and you are under arrest for attempted robbery."

Another guy stepped forward and pulled Oz and the victim off to the side. "Hi, I'm Blair Sandburg; I work with Detective Ellison. Could you both come in with us to give your statements? That way we can get this wrapped up right away?" he asked with a gentle smile.

The lady nodded shakily, still a little frazzled by what happened and Oz just shrugged, "No problem."

**2 Hours Later…**

"Thanks for your help, young man," Maria Keaton fussed over Oz, who was nodding indulgently at the older woman. "Here, take this as a reward," she demanded as she tried to stuff a twenty dollar bill in his hand.

"That's unnecessary, ma'am," he refused, handing it back. "It was the right thing to help you out and taking a reward for it would feel wrong. But thank you for the offer. I'm just glad that he didn't hurt you as well."

She frowned at him, frustrated that he refused to let her make a big deal out of him helping her. "Well, if you are going to be in town for a while, at least stop by Hugh's Deli on 6th. My son-in-law owns it and we'd be pleased to treat you to lunch. _Please_."

Oz sighed. Was this what Buffy went through when she saved people that _didn't_ repress what happened to them? It so rarely occurred in Sunnydale, but then she went out more often than he did so she might have had to deal with it occasionally. "If it would make you happy, ma'am," he finally allowed.

"It would," she crowed in triumph, "and please, call me Maria."

"My friends call me Oz, Maria," he responded with a smile. Then he walked her over to the elevators.

Just as the doors opened, he heard Detective Ellison call out, "Mr. Osborne, I just have a couple more questions, if you don't mind?"

"Sure," he answered calmly, feeling anything but. Something about this guy since he pulled him off the pursesnatcher had been bothering him – or more accurately, his wolf.

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"In here," Ellison commanded, pointing to an office where Sandburg was already waiting for them.

Oz stared at the pair, trying to figure them out. They sort of reminded him of Buffy and Giles, but he couldn't figure out how. Certainly couldn't be by their looks; Ellison was like Giles' age and would tower over the petite blonde, while Sandburg only seemed like he was only a few years older than the Scoobies and looked about as tough as Xander did. But he could swear that Ellison was like Buffy and Sandburg like Giles.

"What's up?" he questioned cautiously.

"We were hoping you could tell us that," Sandburg responded. "Jim says that he heard you growl when you tackled that guy earlier."

"Didn't realize that was illegal," Oz stated.

Ellison glared at the young man, not impressed with the seemingly sarcastic comment. "What are you?" he demanded impatiently.

Oz took a deep breath to calm himself and to stop the wolf from rising. "I'm not sure I know what you mean, detective." He really was on the edge this soon after leaving Sunnydale.

"You're not fully human, I can tell!" Ellison bit out, angry at this _being_ who dared to come into his territory and possibly cause trouble..

"What does it matter to you?" Oz inquired. His recent brush with the Initiative was making him even more wary than normal – and that wasn't a good thing.

"This is my town to protect and I won't let you harm anyone here," the Sentinel proclaimed.

The werewolf contemplated him before commenting, "Wasn't planning on it. Just passing through. When the guy snatched the purse, I just reacted and tackled him. No plans on hurting him though." He stared for a bit longer before adding to test the waters, "So what are _you_, some sort of neutral protection demon?"

"Demon?" Sandburg yelped. "He's not a demon, he's a--"

"Guy who's still waiting to hear what you are," Ellison interrupted with a glare at his Guide. There was absolutely no reason to give information away.

Oz figured that since they reminded him of the Slayer and the Watcher, that he'd take a chance. "Werewolf," he stated, hoping that he'd made the right decision.

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A/N1: Maria Keaton is just an OC. Nothing more.

A/N2: Next…Oz learns about Buffy's death and return.


	2. Chapter 1: Whistler Talks

**Chapter 1: Whistler Talks**

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

A/N2: Thanks to my betas…zigpal and RevDorothyL.

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**Present Day**

It had taken a little while to get the two men to believe the werewolf, both about what he was and that he meant no harm. But when Oz explained where he was going and why, Blair offered to assist him in his training, much to Jim's dismay. Then they explained about their Sentinel/Guide relationship and their dream animals, and that helped explain why the Guide thought that they'd be able to help him.

Over the months, they had grown to be good friends and Oz found himself sharing details of his life in Sunnydale. Blair had been the first to suggest that maybe his loss of control at Tara's appearance wasn't solely because of her relationship with Willow. Yes, that was the cause of his abrupt shift during the day, but perhaps not the reason he needed to leave.

The Guide pointed out that in many of their conversations, Oz spoke more about Buffy than he did about Willow. Not that Blair doubted the younger man's love for the wiccan, but maybe he felt more connected to the Slayer somehow. From his description of the guardian of the Hellmouth, it sounded like she spoke to both the man and the wolf in Oz, whereas his lover only got the man.

And what did this have to do with why he left? Simple, Tara was made a member of the Scooby Gang by her association with Willow. And since he wasn't a part of the group until after he became involved with the shy redhead, he didn't think that he was there on his own merits. Instead of risking the rejection of asking, he just left – using the excuse of needing to control his wolf better before returning for good.

So here Oz sat, meditating…trying to decide what to do next. Though he liked his new life in Cascade, he felt a sense of loss that he found hard to ignore.

Out of nowhere, he heard this Bronx accent from behind him. "Slayer needs your help, wolfboy."

Oz snarled at the intruder as he whirled to face him. He certainly didn't look like a danger, but there was something off about him – not to mention the fact that he got into his apartment unnoticed.

"Calm down there and listen to me! My name is Whistler. I'm a messenger for the Powers That Be," the poorly dressed guy stated.

"Uh-huh, and what exactly do you want with me?" Oz replied, clearly unimpressed with the introduction.

"The Powers need you to go and help the Slayer. She's going to need you…soon!" Whistler implored.

"Why me? She has a whole bunch of people to back her up, both in Sunnydale and in LA," Oz shot back. "And what are you? You don't smell human to me."

"I'm a balance demon. And none of the people that are around can help her now." He hurried on at the dangerous gleam in the werewolf's eyes, "They are alive and well, don't worry. But they can't help; they are the ones she needs protection from."

"You'd better explain quickly or I'll shift and tear you limb from limb," Oz growled threateningly.

"Can tell you're friends with the Slayer already, though her threats are usually a bit more graphic and disturbing. Alright, here's the deal…" he went on to explain the events of the past year, concluding with Buffy's death.

"If she's dead, why are you worried about her anymore? She died saving the world and her 'sister' – shouldn't that mean she's in heaven or wherever? Don't tell me that the Powers would really have let her get sucked into a hell dimension and not do everything in their…well, _power_ to get her out!" Oz practically yelled at Whistler.

"No, she's in heaven, alright…for the time being. The problem is, they are getting ready to yank her out," the messenger explained sadly.

Oz shook his head in disbelief. "No way! They care about her too much to do that to her."

"Maybe," Whistler allowed, obviously not as sure, "if they knew where she was. But they haven't even bothered to check."

"So tell them!" he did yell this time.

"We've tried!" Whistler yelled back. "From vague signs to an actual visit from yours truly. Nothing will get them to listen. They just assume that since I'm a demon, I'm automatically evil. And the group in LA are too caught up in their _own_ drama to be of any use, so that leaves _you_."

"Well, why can't the Powers just stop them from being able to do it?" Oz asked.

"Free will," Whistler stated. "Sometimes it can be a real pain in the ass. What makes it even worse is the cost of doing this, both for her and for them."

Oz didn't like the tone of the balance demon's voice. "What do you mean?"

"First things first: how do you think the Slayer's going to react, being yanked out of her peace and shoved back onto the Hellmouth?" He paused while Oz considered that piece of horror. "Secondly, the magicks used for this kind of spell require a trade. Part of it is stated clearly in the texts, but the rest of it is just the rules of magick. If the trade isn't fulfilled, the balance of the cosmos will be out of whack and leave things wide open for the other side to pull something equally grandiose."

"I'm guessing by 'trade', you're talking about lives or something?" he guessed.

Whistler was impressed by how quick this kid was. "Very good. And in the case of pulling a Chosen Warrior from their intended rest, that trade would be great."

Oz took a deep breath to calm his wolf before asking, "Do you know specifically who?"

"The ones involved in the spell. It's a safeguard to keep the other side from stealing the Warriors of Light from their rest," he explained.

"And who would that be?" Oz prompted, starting to feel his patience give way.

Whistler hesitated, unsure of how the werewolf would take this news. "Don't know for sure until it's actually cast, but right now the ones talking about it are the boy, the wiccan, and their lovers. Your ex is the pushing force behind it, though."

Oz ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Yeah, she loves the big spells. What about Giles. Or this 'sister' of Buffy's? Or, for that matter, Spike? You said that he was helping them out this past year, right?"

"Dawn was taken by her father as soon as he got word of Joyce's death, which happened to be a couple of days after Buffy's. Since Dawn was so heartbroken by her losses, she didn't try to fight it. She just clung to her only remaining legal family – even if it was the first time they had _actually_ met." Whistler got an annoyed look on his face and went on, "The others were too caught up in their own grief to do anything either, except Giles. He at least got contact info for her. And Spike didn't even bother with the info – he just followed her, saying that he'd promised Buffy and he wouldn't fail her again."

"Sounds like he cared about her. Or was obsessed with her," Oz corrected himself.

Whistler chuckled, "Wouldn't be wrong with either description. Don't know what would happen if they asked him to help out, but since they don't know where he is, it's a moot point."

Oz was surprised that the Watcher would keep this a secret. "Giles won't tell them?"

"They haven't asked," Whistler said with a shrug.

"Wait a sec, they haven't asked about Buffy's sister? The one she _died_ for?" Oz asked, not buying it for a minute.

The balance demon just gave him a shrewd look. "Think about what you just said. She died for this sister that wasn't there when you were in town just over a year ago. Whether they admit it consciously or not, they resent her for that. Even Giles does to a point. He told Buffy – before anything happened – that if the ceremony started, they'd have to kill Dawn so all the dimensions wouldn't fall apart."

Oz winced, "Ouch. Bet that didn't go over too well with her."

Whistler laughed quietly, "Actually, for Buffy, she was pretty calm. She only _threatened_ to kill anyone who tried. She didn't physically harm him…but that might have been because she knew she needed every available person for the fight."

"So what does he have to say about bringing her back?" Oz wondered.

"They haven't told him either – afraid that he'd try to stop them," the demon clarified.

Oz started pacing the room, willing his wolf to be calm. "Doesn't that tell them something? What the heck is going on with them?"

Not agreeing with them either, Whistler, still trying to play devil's advocate, remarked, "They feel lost without the Slayer. And the patrols are getting more and more difficult to handle with just the Buffybot."

The former Sunnydale citizen shuddered when he tried to imagine the thing. If it weren't for the fact it looked like a friend, he might be intrigued by the technology, but… "Okay, that creeps me out, and I haven't even seen the thing."

"Tell me about it. Especially when you think about what she was originally created for," Whistler gave his own shudder. That was just wrong to do to the Slayer – even as pretty as she was.

Oz groaned, "Thanks for that disturbing image. So what, I just have to tell Giles and hope that he talks them out of it?"

"Won't work. Your ex has already taken precautions against that. If he learns about the spell, she'll just cast a memory spell to make him forget."

"Since when has she gotten so fast and loose with throwing spells around?" Oz demanded, although not really surprised. He _was_ shocked that she'd use magick on her own friends though.

Whistler sat on the arm of the sofa. "Mostly since Glory sucked Tara's brain out. She dove into some pretty dark stuff to go after the hell-goddess for revenge. Since then, it's been a combination of necessity and laziness. Without a Slayer or Spike around as muscle, they've had to rely more on magick to help them out."

Oz nodded, then asked, "And the laziness part?"

"She doesn't want to have to deal with conflict or everyday stuff, so she uses magick to take care of it for her," the balance demon said with clear disdain in his voice.

"The others let her?" He was stunned that things had gotten that bad so quickly. But then again, this was the Hellmouth – it wouldn't take long.

"She hides most of it, especially the conflict-avoidance stuff. But since she's the 'strongest' resource they have now, they don't want to upset her too much," he said.

Oz had a thought and presented it, "Not that I'm convinced it's a good idea, but what about bringing Faith back to be the Slayer?"

Whistler nodded, not in agreement, but in confirmation that it had been thought of already. "Giles is actually working on getting her released. He's hoping that since she voluntarily went in and has stayed there, that it means she is serious about her rehabilitation. He hasn't mentioned it to the others, knowing how they'd react."

"So is he having any luck with it?" he questioned with a little bit of hope.

But the messenger shook his head, "Not so far. He'd have to go back to England to state his case in person why it'd be better to let her live and be the Slayer, instead of just killing her and letting a new one take over. The reason the Council has let her be this long is that they had Blondie to fall back on. But he probably knows that as well, and has been doing his best to keep them from finding out. About either his efforts to get Faith released or Buffy's death."

Oz had a second thought: "What do the Powers think about Faith taking over?"

"She's too much of a loose cannon right now for them to be comfortable with it," Whistler told him.

"Couldn't they just Call another Slayer?" Oz suggested.

Whistler shook his head again, "Not without her death."

Oz took a deep breath. "Got it. So, I'm lost. If I can't stop them from pulling her back, how am I supposed to help Buffy?"

"Just be there for her. She's bound to feel betrayed by the others for doing this to her and won't be able to find any comfort in them. Especially when the trade has to be made for taking her out of her rest," Whistler finished.

Starting to make plans in his head, Oz inquired, "How soon would that be?"

Getting tired of this lengthy conversation, but not being allowed by the Powers to leave yet, Whistler answered, "No way of knowing that yet, but the longer it takes for the trade to be completed, the greater the chance for the other side to pull something."

"You were saying that Willow was using magick on the others – or at least Giles. What would happen if she used it to make them go along with the spell?" Oz questioned, wondering if any of them could be saved. He was afraid that Willow was a lost cause by this point.

Whistler realized what the kid was working toward and carefully worded his response, "Wouldn't work. They have to go along with it of their own free will. She can't do anything that directly inhibits that."

Oz picked up the 'lawyer' talk and checked, "And indirectly?"

He shrugged noncommittally, "She can and probably _will_ hide things about the spell from them."

Just then, the doorbell rang and Oz opened it up to find Jim and Blair standing there. He stepped back to let them in without actually inviting them. They just shook their heads at his actions, having grown accustomed to it in the past year. When he noticed the non-human presence in the room, Jim tensed up. "Who's your friend, Oz?"

"Not a friend exactly; just someone bringing me news from back home," he explained.

Blair looked back and forth between the two of them. "Not happy news, by the look on your face."

Oz shook his head, "Nope. Buffy died and the others are going to try to bring her back."

"Is all this sharing necessary?" Whistler glared at the werewolf. Sheesh, didn't _anyone_ in the Slayer's group have the slightest clue of secrecy?

The werewolf just glared back and snapped, "You want me to help Buffy? They are going to have to help me figure out _how_."

Whistler felt the Powers release him from having to stay, and so he remarked, "Fine. If you need me for anything, just call. I'll let you know if anything changes while you make up your mind." Then he vanished.

Jim sat in one of the chairs. "So who – or _what_ – was that?"

"That was a balance demon – a messenger for the Powers That Be. He came to tell me that Buffy is going to need me." Oz went on to repeat what Whistler had told him.

"And you think that he's trustworthy?" Blair questioned, not entirely used to this side of the supernatural yet. It was very different from the mystical aspects of the Sentinel/Guide relationship.

Oz rubbed his hands over his face and neck, considering everything that he had heard that day against what he knew of his old friends. "I don't know, but what he says makes a lot of sense to me. What did you think of him, Jim?"

"I felt something different about him, but couldn't get a good read off him," the Sentinel said regretfully. He knew that Oz wanted more than that from him, and he was sorry that he couldn't provide it.

The three of them sat and talked for hours about what they should do about the situation.

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A/N: Next…Oz returns.


	3. Chapter 2: Oz in Sunnydale

**Chapter 2: Oz in Sunnydale**

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N1: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

A/N2: Giles was in LA working on Faith's release instead of in England at the time of the resurrection spell.

A/N2: Thanks to my betas…zigpal, RevDorothyL, Dianasis and tvbuff.

Warning: Bad, bad words.

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**Sunnydale**

Blair was disappointed that he and Jim couldn't join Oz right away, but they were unsure how the Hellmouth would affect Jim's Sentinel senses. Oz promised to call if he needed them at all and they'd be waiting nearby, possibly in LA. If the demonic energy there got to be too much, they'd head for a quieter area.

When Oz drove into town, it looked like it was a war zone. _**'What happened here? Was this the result of the spell?'**_ People were out and busy cleaning up the messes– basically doing what they did best…and that was repressing. He made his way to 1630 Revello Drive. When he got there, he walked right in without knocking – deciding that good manners didn't matter at a time like this.

From the yelling in the kitchen, he wasn't sure that they would have heard him anyway. Suddenly, he was caught in a death grip from behind. He managed to get himself turned around so he could face Buffy. Even though there was something different about her scent, he had been able to tell it was her holding him.

Since he'd gotten the lowdown from Whistler, Oz really wasn't surprised when she started sobbing in his arms. He gently led her over to the couch in the living room. They got themselves situated comfortably, and he just held her as she poured out her anguish.

Before she calmed down enough for them to talk, they were joined by a startled Willow and Giles. They were startled partly by the young man's unexpected appearance, but more so by the emotions Buffy was showing. Other than her hug for Giles when he came back that morning from LA, she had been like a statue, barely even saying a word.

"Oz! What are you doing here? I'm still with Tara! You aren't going to go wolfy on her, are you? Why is Buffy crying?" Willow started babbling at her ex.

Oz bit back the first things that he was desperate to say, remembering that his task here was to comfort Buffy, not to confront his ex. It amazed him that just a year and a half ago he would have found her babble endearing. Now it was like nails on a chalkboard – _not_ a pleasant thing for someone with enhanced hearing. "Heard about Buffy," he said abruptly, determined to keep his answers as short as possible in front of Willow or the others involved in the spell.

Giles must have recognized something in his look, because he suggested that the young redhead go find the others while he and Oz attempted to get Buffy to rest and/or eat. Neither man missed the look of hurt on Willow's face when Buffy shied away from her attempt to touch her and retreated deeper into Oz's arms. But strangely enough, their concern was with Buffy's pain, not Willow's, at the moment.

Giles and Oz didn't attempt to talk to each other or the distraught blonde until a half hour later. Her sobs had lessened to weeping, then to crying, and then to what – if the circumstances hadn't been so heart-wrenching – could be described as 'cute' snuffling.

Finally, Buffy had regained enough composure to sit up and see whose arms she was in. "Oz!" she declared as happily as she was able.

"Hey, Buffy," he replied gently while continuing to stroke her hair. "Heard you died and were back."

The Watcher's eyes widened in surprise. "And how is that? She only came back last night."

"A balance demon named Whistler." Buffy stiffened in his arms, but Oz continued, "He warned me what the others were doing, and even though his attempts to stop them failed, he wanted me to be here for Buffy."

Buffy looked up at him tearfully and choked out, "He tried to stop them?"

The werewolf nodded and replied, "As much as he could without interfering with their free will."

"When did he tell you?" Giles asked warily.

"A couple days ago. I'd have been here sooner, but it took a while to get my friends to let me come alone. They're waiting in LA for me to call," Oz finished with a glance at the phone.

Giles stood up to yell, "Dammit! If you knew, why didn't you call and tell me?"

But Oz just answered him calmly, "Because Whistler said that Willow was ready for your intervention. She wasn't about to let anything or anyone stop her from doing this spell." He leaned in closer to whisper in Buffy's ear, "Do they know yet _where_ you were?"

Her eyes welled up with tears as she shook her head frantically. "I can't tell them," she gasped out hoarsely.

He brushed the tears away gently. "They're going to find out anyway." Before she could ask, he snuck a peek at the Watcher, who had sat back down and was staring intently at them, and he suggested, "At the very least you should tell Giles. He might have believed Willow when she kept saying that she saved you from a hell dimension." He pushed the hair out of her face and stated, "It's not your job to spare them pain, Buffy."

Buffy nodded shakily before begging, "Can you tell him? I don't think I can say the words."

Giles heard the last bit and inquired, "Tell who what?" He had a sinking feeling that maybe he didn't want to hear this. Unfortunately, it seemed important that he know, and for Buffy, he'd suffer just about anything.

"That they didn't save Buffy; they condemned her. Giles, they tore her out of her rest…or heaven, or whatever it's called," Oz said with a haunted look on his face.

One look at Buffy's quivering face confirmed Oz's declaration. Giles stood up and bellowed, "They what?!?" Seeing the look on Buffy's face, he quieted immediately and rushed to her side. "Oh, my dear girl, I'm so terribly sorry for that."

She leaned into him for a hug, but kept a firm grip on Oz's hand so he couldn't get away either. "Did you mean what you said to Willow in the kitchen? About her being a rank, arrogant amateur in bringing me back?"

He looked surprised that she had heard the conversation, but knew he had to tell her the truth. "Yes. And even more, now that I know for certain where you were. My heart wouldn't accept any alternative, but my mind agreed that Willow's arguments were logical."

Buffy glanced back and forth at the only two people she felt safe with now, then asked, "So what's going to happen now? Are you going to tell the others?"

Oz squeezed her hand to offer comfort, but also knew that she needed to know what was coming and it was better if she heard it from him. "It doesn't matter if _we_ tell them or not, Buffy. They have a debt to pay, and because of that, they will find out."

"Debt? What do you mean?" Giles demanded, forgetting what he knew of magick since he wasn't thinking too clearly at the moment.

Pulling away so that he could stand and explain this, Oz carefully maneuvered Buffy closer to Giles. "Whistler told me that this kind of spell required a trade. Part of it was stated clearly in the spell for Willow to see. The rest of the trade, he said, was a fundamental law of magick. And the greater the request made, the greater the trade required. Pulling a Chosen Warrior from their rest is one of the highest trades there is."

She couldn't think; the fear was pounding in her head. But she managed to gasp out to Oz, "What kind of trade are you talking about?" A quick glance at Giles showed a sick look on his face that indicated that _he_ had a clue what it might be.

"Whistler mentioned that anyone who participated in this spell has forfeited their own life. And if they somehow circumvent it, evil will get a free shot to restore the balance again," Oz explained, confirming Giles' own suspicions.

Buffy started crying again. "So because of me, they're all going to die?"

Giles grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and shook her gently to get her attention. "Not because of _you_! Remember that. You didn't ask to be torn out of heaven. They did this to you and to themselves. _Never_ let their actions cause you guilt. Do you hear me?" he demanded, hoping that she would see reason.

Oz sat back down and ran a calming hand across her back as he added his opinion, "He's right, Buffy. Even though they were concerned about you, this was basically a selfish spell. The world already had a Slayer to protect it. Granted, she's in jail right now, but Giles was working on getting her out. Except, they wanted _you_ to protect the world and them again, not just _any_ Slayer."

She turned to ask Giles, "You were really trying to get Faith out?"

The Watcher looked uneasy but replied anyway, "I know her history with us – and you especially – is unpleasant, but she is a Slayer. The only one we had. And short of killing her, she's the only one we _would_ have. Your…" He choked up for a second before continuing, "…death didn't call another, so the line must run through her now. I have done some despicable things in my life, but I couldn't bring myself to do that to someone who appeared to have sincerely tried to turn their life around."

"I strongly urge you to continue to try to get her out," Oz suggested. "No offense, Buffy, but you are in no condition to resume slaying again. Just _being_ on the Hellmouth is tearing apart your soul and sanity. It'll only get worse the longer you stick around. Whistler couldn't tell me if you'd _ever_ be able to be here for any length of time when he talked to me again last night."

Now she looked truly panicked. "Where am I supposed to go then? All I've ever been was the Slayer! How can I be anything else?"

"I know where Dawn and your father are, if you'd like to join them. Spike also went with them. He decided to be Dawn's bodyguard as penance for failing to keep her safe and causing your death. His words, not mine," Giles remarked, his pride at the vampire's actions clear.

Buffy considered it for a second before asking, "Does my dad know I died?" Giles nodded. "Then I can't go there. But you should let her and Spike know I'm alive. She must have felt terrible that I jumped instead of her. It's how I would have felt if our roles were reversed. Make sure she knows I don't regret my choice and that I love her. If she wants to get together, it'll have to be away from Dad, though."

Oz looked down shyly, then offered, "I was thinking you could, maybe, come join me in Cascade. Its demon community is almost nonexistent. And the guys that I'm friends with know about the supernatural and can help in keeping it that way. One of them is sort of the male equivalent of a Slayer. And the other is his Guide. When I first met them, they reminded me of you two, and that helped me to trust them with my secret."

"Do they know about me?" she asked fearfully.

He nodded, "They were there just as Whistler finished filling me in. They want me to tell you that you are more than welcome to come there. They are really looking forward to meeting you."

That surprised the Slayer. "Really? Why?"

Oz blushed slightly and responded, "Your name might have come up a few times when I talked about my past."

-----------------------------

Before she could even start to think about what that meant, the front door opened, revealing Xander, Anya, Willow and Amy.

'_**Amy? When did she get turned back from a rat?'**_ wondered Oz. _**'And where's Tara? Her scent is still strong in the house, so why isn't she here now?'**_

"Oz-man! Willow said you were back!" Xander greeted him with forced cheer. He was still angry at the guy for hurting his Willow. The fact that Buffy appeared more comfortable with him than her best friends – who just _saved_ her – just made it worse.

"Yeah. I got word about Buffy and made my way back," Oz answered, fighting his own rage. They were lucky that his time with the Sentinel and his Guide had strengthened his emotional control, or else he would have tracked them down first and torn them apart before he even _looked_ for Buffy.

"So, pretty great surprise for you to find out she's alive again, huh?" Willow gushed, ignoring the glare in her direction from Giles.

Oz tightened his grip on Buffy. "Actually, I already knew. That's _why_ I rushed here."

Buffy started to tense, as if she were going to bolt from the room. Giles helped to stop her by grabbing her hand and holding it firmly in his lap, thereby calming her down. Her 'rescuers' noticed it and studied the huddled trio confusedly.

Anya was the first to break the silence. "What do you mean? And how did you find out anyway? We just did the spell last night."

"I was warned by a messenger of the PTB what you were up to, and that Buffy would need me here," Oz answered curtly.

Willow was stunned. "Why would she need _you_? She has her friends to take care of her!"

Giles, deciding to avoid the subject of heaven for the moment, bit out harshly, "The _same_ friends who neglected to dig her up before performing the blasted spell? Didn't you remember that one of her worst fears was being buried alive? What the hell did you expect to happen? That she'd just _*poof*_ appear above ground?" he growled, mimicking a magician with his hands.

Xander had the grace to look ashamed for not thinking of that before, but defended their actions anyway, "Yes, we made a mistake. But we've apologized for that already. Besides, it's still better than where she was, I bet."

"You'd be wrong in that, you ignorant humans!" a new voice snarled.

-----------------------------

A/N: Next…Making the Trade.


	4. Chapter 3: Paying the Price

**Chapter 3: Paying the Price**

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

A/N2: Thanks to my betas…zigpal, RevDorothyL, Dianasis and tvbuff.

Warning: More bad, bad words.

-----------------------------

_Previously…_

"You'd be wrong in that, you ignorant humans!" a new voice snarled.

-----------------------------

**Summers' House, Sunnydale**

The group was startled at Whistler's sudden appearance. Xander recovered enough to demand, "And just who are you?"

The balance demon walked past the nervous foursome over to the couch. "The one who gets to tell you just how royally you idiots fucked up!" He looked at Buffy sympathetically and suggested, "Do you want to be here for this? It might be better if you went to lay down and try to rest for a bit."

Buffy studied the balance demon for any hint of deception but found none. As much as she hated him because of their last encounter during the time of Angelus, she believed that he did have her best interests at heart. After thinking about it, she realized that she needed somebody with her so she asked the two she felt safest with, "Oz and Giles, would you come with me? I don't feel like being alone right now."

Whistler looked around the room and interjected, "Actually Kid, it'd be better if the Watcher hung back while I take care of this. He'll be up soon, though," he promised.

After Buffy and Oz went upstairs, Giles asked, "So, I'm assuming that you're the Whistler that Oz mentioned earlier?"

"Yes. The Kid knows me as well, but she's probably still angry about that time. However, that's her story to tell if she wants to. I'm here to deal with _their_ mess," Whistler snarled at the others.

"How can you call saving Buffy a mess?" Willow demanded after discovering her attempt to hold him magically wasn't working.

Whistler smirked momentarily, knowing what the redhead had attempted, before erupting, "You didn't even consider what bringing her back would cost her _or_ the world!"

"Whatever the cost is, it's worth it to have her back. Plus, now the world has a Slayer to protect it again," Willow declared smugly.

"The world already _had_ a Slayer…Faith. The Watcher here was going to get her out so she could actually be of some use instead of rotting in a cell," the demon explained with his distinctive Bronx accent.

Xander scoffed at the idea, "Right. Like it's such a great idea to have a psychotic killer to protect the world."

"You're just determined to share your stupidity and hatred with the rest of us, aren't you? If she was as bad as you want to make her out to be, she wouldn't be in jail right now," Whistler shot back, even though he and the PTB had their doubts about her as well.

"Well, _I'm_ not going to help her protect Sunnydale. No way am I getting anywhere _near_ her," Xander stated unequivocally.

Willow agreed, "Me either. She's tried to kill us. How can you expect us to forget _that_?"

"I'm certainly not going to help someone who tried to hurt my Xander," Anya added her choice.

Whistler turned to Amy to ask her sarcastically, "What about you? You haven't voiced _your_ opinion."

Missing his sarcasm, Amy offered hesitantly, "I don't remember if I ever met this Faith, but Xander and Willow are my friends. If they say she's bad news, then I trust their opinion."

The balance demon snorted, "That's a mistake, but hardly the _worst_ one you've ever made."

Already knowing what the answer was, but wanting to get this done with so he could go comfort Buffy, Giles requested, "Why don't we get back to the cost you mentioned, Whistler?"

He nodded at the Watcher, "You're right; this argument is pointless, since their involvement with the Slayer is moot."

"How is our involvement moot?" Willow's eyes narrowed in suspicion now. She may not have wanted to help Faith, but she certainly would be there for Buffy.

"There is a trade to be made in a resurrection spell…or didn't you realize that?" Whistler spat.

Willow was indignant and let it show, "Of course I knew! I got the fawn's blood for the trade."

Whistler laughed cruelly, "And what were you planning to resurrect? Bambi? It takes a soul to resurrect a soul."

Anya considered that momentarily before responding, "Okay. That makes sense. But since Buffy came back, we must have gotten around that somehow.…Or are you saying that the trade has yet to be made?" Anya's eyes widened, horrified at the thought.

The PTB's messenger cheered derisively, "Congratulations for getting it so quickly! Now…for the bonus round, can you guess _who_ the trade is?"

Amy winced as she started to figure out how badly this all went and guessed, "My understanding of magick would suggest it would have to be someone close to her."

Whistler shook his head in mock apology, "Oh, _almost_, but not exactly. If you hadn't fucked it up so completely, only _one_ of you would have had to serve as the trade. As it is, anyone who participated in the spell last night has forfeited their own life to restore the balance."

The four of them were silent for several minutes as they realized what he told them. Finally, Xander spoke up, "Not real excited about dying, but if it means we saved Buffy, and the world has sane Slayer, then…I guess it's okay."

"Even now you don't get it, do you? Why do you think it's so fucked up?" They shrugged obtusely. "If you had _saved_ her, a soul for a soul would have sufficed. What cost you all your lives is that you _condemned_ her!" the balance demon screamed at them.

Trembling from the anger and power rolling off the PTB's messenger, Willow whispered, "Condemned? How did we condemn her?"

Whistler looked at her like she was insane. "Where do you think a Warrior of Light would go when they died?"

Xander stuttered, "But Glory's portal--"

"Opened dimensions. It didn't change the rules of eternal life. If you didn't have her body, then there _might_ have been a chance that she ended up somewhere else. That's when you do a spell to check where she was. But you _had_ a body – which meant all that was left was her soul. One that had an express pass to the land of rest and comfort," Whistler explained impatiently.

He paused to let it sink in, then went on, "By bringing her back, you did the equivalent of when she sent Angel to hell. Not to mention the added torture of bringing her back on the _Hellmouth_. Going from where she was before to here…that's like slowly poisoning her heart and soul."

For the first time since the spell, Willow looked sickened by her actions. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I screwed up that badly. Giles, can you tell Buffy how sorry I am? I don't think I can face her again."

"Me too, Giles. We really _did_ think we were saving her," Xander offered lamely.

Giles looked at them regretfully and nodded, "I'll tell her…when I think she's healed enough to listen."

Now that everything was out there, Whistler took back control. "I'd like to finish this before the other side can pull anything off because of the imbalance."

"Wait!" Everyone turned to the stairs where Buffy stood. "Can I talk to you first, Whistler?"

Feeling the Powers reluctantly agreeing to her request, he went over to her and said, "Let's make it quick, Kid."

They moved to the dining room for a few minutes before Whistler went back to the group in the living room. "She's figured out a loophole for you…if you want to take it," he offered.

Unsure of why Buffy would do this for them after how they hurt her, Willow asked, "What is it?"

Whistler explained, "Instead of going to your final judgment, your souls would be reincarnated--" Before they could mention that it wouldn't solve the balance issue, he rushed on, "…in _different_ dimensions. The one you each end up in may be better or it may be worse than this one, but it wouldn't be either a hell or heaven dimension. So you have to choose: judgment or reincarnation?"

They each considered it privately before all of them chose to be reincarnated, hoping that they could do more with their lives than they had done in this one.

Something had been bothering Buffy since she came back and she knew this was her only chance to find out. "Before you go, can I ask why Tara isn't here with you?"

Looking down in shame, Willow answered, "She saw me with the fawn's blood and refused to help after that. That's when I got the idea to try again to change Amy back. Sorry for getting you into this, Amy," she apologized to her de-ratted friend.

Amy just shook her head. "I knew we were dealing with some dark stuff, so it's my own fault for going along with it."

Buffy hesitated, then made her way to her friends. Since it was the last time she'd see them, she gave them each a tight hug. Despite what anyone said, she chose to believe that they did this primarily to save her, and that helped keep her from thinking of them bitterly right now. "Good luck. I hope things go well for you in your new lives."

They tearfully said their own goodbyes as best they could. They kept choking on their words when they remembered what Whistler said they had subjected her to. Willow barely managed to ask Buffy or Giles to tell Tara she loved her. Then, with a wave of Whistler's hand, they disappeared from their dimension and into their new ones.

-----------------------------

A/N: Next…Telling Tara and meeting the guys.


	5. Chapter 4: Telling Tara

**Chapter 4: Telling Tara**

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

-----------------------------

**Summers' House, Sunnydale**

The next morning a slightly better rested Buffy made her way to the kitchen to find Oz and Giles catching up. They looked up when she walked in and greeted her. She gave them a partial smile when she greeted them back, "Hey guys. When I got up, I realized that we'd better find Tara and let her know what's happened. You'll be okay if you see her, Oz?"

"No problem, Buffy. The last few days have been a great test of my control. Seeing Tara won't even cause a blip," the young werewolf promised.

Buffy nodded, trusting his judgment. "I'll head to the college and see if she's there."

Setting down his tea, Giles replied, "And I have to be at the Magic Box anyway. Should we plan to meet there?"

"Sounds good to me. Oz, what are your plans this morning?" Buffy inquired of her friend.

Oz took his breakfast dishes to the sink, then turned around to answer, "I thought I'd call my friends and see if they can try to make their way here to meet you. We're not sure how the Hellmouth is going to affect Jim, so you may have to meet him somewhere else."

"Giles, can you try to get in touch with Dawnie and do the same? You should either make plans to meet or be sure Spike is with her before you say anything. After I talk to Tara, I was planning to meet up with Angel somewhere; let him know I'm back before he hears it through the demon grapevine," she informed the guys.

Giles looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but didn't say anything because he realized she might still be mixed up from…everything. So he replied more diplomatically, "I'm not planning on saying _anything_ unless you're sitting right next to me. Dawn'll need to speak with you personally."

Buffy looked ashamed that she hadn't considered that. "You're right. I obviously wasn't thinking." She shook her head to clear it. "Well, I'll see you two at the shop later, then."

"Didn't you want breakfast?" Giles half demanded, half asked. He suddenly understood that they would have to keep an eye on her eating and sleeping habits for the near future. They had already lost so much because of that reckless spell, and he'd be damned if they would lose her as well.

"Actually, I was hoping to bum some money from you so I could hit the Pump for a mocha and muffin," she looked at him with a sheepish expression. She knew she didn't have any reason to feel ashamed for not having money, but she still felt awkward about having to borrow it anyway.

"Gladly. Just be sure to eat the whole muffin. And a piece of fruit as well?" Giles tried to bargain with his Slayer.

Buffy gave him a slightly bigger smile this time when she replied with her old pet name for him, "You got it, Watcher-mine."

-----------------------------

**Espresso Pump/Magic Box**

Buffy had just picked up her order when she saw Tara sitting in a corner booth by herself. She carefully made her way over, trying to figure out how to tell her friend that Willow was gone.

As soon as Tara saw her, she got this sad look on her face, but stood to hug Buffy anyway. "So, she really went through with it, huh? I was hoping that when I said I wouldn't help her, she would reconsider her plans."

Sitting down, Buffy answered, "Only to speed them up."

"So, did everything go alright?" Tara asked, not sure of what she thought could go wrong. That spell was so far out of her realm of experience, she didn't even know where to start with her worries.

"Not really, but I think we should either go back to the house or the Magic Box to talk about this privately," Buffy pleaded with her eyes. She knew she was delaying this, but she really didn't want to go through it all in public.

Tara guessed though, "Something happened to Willow, didn't it?" If she knew her lover at all, Willow would have been glued to Buffy's side – or else she would have tracked Tara down to tell her that her concerns had been for nothing.

Buffy nodded sadly, but didn't say anything. She wanted to wait until they were alone to do this.

-----------------------------

They quickly made their way to the still empty store and sat in the training room to talk.

"So what happened?" Tara demanded quietly.

Buffy suddenly felt the need to move and started pacing in front of the couch as she explained, "After you backed out, Willow managed to de-rat Amy, and she took your place for the spell. They were too focused on the spell and forgot to think of where I would be resurrected. Then some demon biker gang chased them off, so they missed me digging my way out of my grave."

She waved off the horrified look on Tara's face when it looked like the other girl was about to say something. "Some other stuff happened, but last night was the big part. Oz came back to town because a messenger for the Powers told him that I would need someone to lean on. Willow couldn't be stopped from doing the spell, so all he could do was provide damage control for the fallout. See, in a _normal_ resurrection spell, there would have to be an exchange of souls for it to be successful. Since I was in my reward, the exchange was bigger."

Moving to the couch and kneeling in front of Tara to take her hand, Buffy whispered, "Tara, I'm sorry, but all of those who helped with the spell had to be part of the trade. I asked if they could just be reincarnated in a different dimension, and they decided that they wanted to do that instead of just dying. Willow's gone."

Tara ran her free hand through Buffy's hair to soothe both of them. "Did she even realize that she was wrong? The way she was acting…it was like she wasn't my Willow anymore," she confessed.

"She was pretty smug about what she did until she found out that she tore me out of heaven. She really believed that she was saving me. And she wanted me to tell you she loved you," Buffy managed to get out before she started crying softly.

"Unfortunately, not enough, though. If she loved me more than she loved magick, she'd still be here," Tara remarked ruefully. She wished – but not out loud, in case there were any vengeance demons nearby – that she had kept a closer eye on her lover over the summer. Unfortunately, without Buffy, Willow was the strong one of the group, and saying anything to her was like talking to a brick wall.

Unable to dispute her charge, Buffy just ignored it to tell Tara, "Umm, anyway, I thought I should also tell you that Giles is trying to get Faith released so she can take over slaying. He was _already_ doing that, but Oz told him that I couldn't stay here on the Hellmouth, so Faith would still need to be the Slayer. Whistler, the PTB's messenger, said that being here would poison my soul and so I _had_ to leave."

Taken by surprise, Tara still understood the logic. Regardless of where Buffy had been, she would need time to recuperate – more so, given that she was in heaven. To be honest, she thought it was unfair to _ever_ ask her to take up the mantle of Slayer again after that. "Where are you going?" she inquired softly.

Buffy took a deep breath, relieved that this was going much better than she expected it to. "Oz has been living in Washington state, learning to control his wolf better. There's a couple guys that have really been helping him. I could tell that he was very upset last night, but he didn't so much as growl at anyone. That makes me think they did a good job getting his furry half under control. So if you were worried about seeing him…" she trailed off.

"To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it yet. So, you're going with him to Washington, then?" Tara guessed.

"At least until it doesn't hurt just to breathe," Buffy answered honestly.

Tara's eyes welled up with sympathetic tears. "I'm so sorry that I didn't do more to stop them. We were so sure that you were suffering, we didn't even consider you might _not_ be."

Buffy gave a bitter laugh. "I know it makes sense logically that I went to a hell dimension. I just can't help wondering if they couldn't have just double-checked to be 100% sure. It sounds horrible of me, but I think if they hadn't left, I would have ended up resenting them for doing this to me."

"I can't even imagine what it must be like for you to be here instead of heaven; but having to leave your reward to come back and be the Slayer again…that would be enough for anyone to get angry about," Tara told her truthfully.

"What are _you_ going to do now?" Buffy questioned her friend, trying to shake off the negative feelings overwhelming her.

Tara stared at her hands while she contemplated a Willow-less future. "I don't know. I came here to go to the university. But that was before learning about the Hellmouth. And without Willow or the gang…there doesn't seem to be anything to stay here for anymore."

"I don't know what Giles is going to do either. My guess is that he'll stay here to help Faith, though. If you want, I could ask Oz about you coming with us," Buffy offered cautiously.

The blonde wiccan gave her friend a half smile. "That's okay. If I don't stay here, I think I need to find some real magick users to work with. I don't want what happened to Willow to happen to me too," she said with real worry lacing her voice.

Buffy nodded her head in understanding. "It wouldn't, but I get where you're coming from. But if you need anything, please call me or Giles, 'k?" she requested as she ran her hand over Tara's shoulder.

"You got it. Same goes for you, Buffy. If you need me, all you have to do is ask," Tara vowed.

-----------------------------

**Summers' House, later**

The phone conversation with her little sister was just as emotional as she expected. What came as a surprise to her was the fact that Hank was doing a good job at being Dawn's father, and even though Dawn didn't come right out and say it, Buffy could tell that she wanted to stay with him – despite her earlier hesitation to go with him.. She pushed aside her own jealousy of both her father and sister and encouraged Dawn to do just that.

Then Dawn passed the private cell phone Giles had given them to Spike so Buffy could warn Spike him of how much she would make him suffer if anything were to happen to her baby sis. But the months he spent protecting Dawn had given him a purpose that surpassed his obsession with Buffy, making it easy for him to promise to stay with the 'Bit instead of tracking the Slayer down wherever she was headed. He vowed to protect Buffy's family with his unlife. They hung up, saying that they would get together the next time Hank brought Dawn to the States.

-----------------------------

**Hotel, LA**

Jim was only able to get within 5 miles of Sunnydale before the Hellmouth started in on his senses. So Buffy, Giles and Oz packed up her things and started towards LA, where they'd meet up with the Sentinel and his Guide. Giles would finish taking care of getting Faith released while Buffy would talk to Angel about being back.

When Buffy felt the Sentinel's presence, her inner Slayer assessed him and purred her approval. And the Guide really _did_ feel like a Watcher to her. Now she understood why Oz had trusted them so easily.

Blair felt the pain of the young woman and instantly wanted to help her. He also instinctively knew that when she was strong, she would be a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, Jim's response to the petite blonde was a little more confused.

His animal spirit reacted favorably to the younger guardian, though – in other circumstances – he thought they might have clashed as Alphas. What stopped him from viewing her as a challenge to his status at this time was the utter devastation he felt pouring off of her. This made his animal claim her as his to protect – much the same way he did for Blair, and to some extent, Oz. He only hoped that she would let him. He also hoped they could remain close, once she was healed. From Oz's description of who she used to be, he would be honored to call her a friend.

Somehow Buffy could tell what Jim was thinking of her, and at first she was defensive at the idea she didn't measure up to this male Slayer-type's standards. But a quick glance at Oz assured her that none of them would be pitying her; they only wanted to help her regain herself.

Once she let go of her brief resentment, she actually enjoyed the feeling of security that radiated from both Jim and Blair – or 'Giles-lite', as she mentally referred to the Guide. She wondered if this was what Oz felt with them, and if that was how he was able to handle his furry side so well.

When the time came for her to go to Angel Investigations, Oz realized that she needed some back-up and asked Jim and Blair to join them. They glanced at Buffy, not wanting to intrude, but she just gave them a pleading look. When they hesitated, her lower lip began to tremble and stick out. Then they quickly agreed, not realizing they had fallen victim to the famous Buffy pout. None of them could figure out later if the Sentinel and his Guide joining the pair was a good thing or not.

-----------------------------

A/N: Next…Showdown at the Hyperion.


	6. Chapter 5: Showdown at the Hyperion

**Chapter 5: Showdown at the Hyperion**

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. The Sentinel characters belong to UPN, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: In response to Challenge 398: Oz and the Sentinel by tals and Challenge 934: Buffy/Oz by SlayerandWereLeopard.

A/N2: Thanks to my betas…zigpal, RevDorothyL, Dianasis, tvbuff and Ailsam.

-----------------------------

**Hyperion Hotel, LA**

As soon as they stepped through the door, a quiet little girl welcomed them and inquired what they needed help with. Buffy told Fred – the girl – that she was a friend of Angel's from Sunnydale and needed to talk to him. Fred started babbling about how the 'handsome man' just got bad news from that town and she hoped it wasn't anything like that.

Before it got any further, Wesley walked into the room to see who Fred was talking to and declared, "Buffy! We heard that you were dead!"

Buffy gave a sardonic chuckle before she answered, "Yeah, except the gang decided to bring me back. I'd rather only go through it once, so if you could get Angel in here, please?"

The ex-Watcher nodded thoughtfully, "Of course. Just a moment." As he made his way from the room, his mind was racing with the possibilities of what had happened…most of them not pleasant.

Within minutes, the lobby was filled with the whole team, including Lorne, who was just checking in before going to his recently re-opened club, Caritas. Angel rushed to Buffy's side when he saw her, sweeping her into his arms and murmuring sweet declarations in her ear that he thought only she could hear. Only when Oz coughed discreetly did he notice her small entourage.

"Who are your new friends?"Angel asked with a tinge of annoyance.

Turning to her guys, Buffy started the introductions: "Well, you know Oz, of course. These are new friends of his that he met when he was learning to handle his wolfy side. This is Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg. Guys, this is Angel, and that's Cordelia, Wesley, and some other people I don't know…_and_ a demon of some kind."

The Host stepped forward in a non-threatening fashion to address the heaven-torn Slayer, "Name's Lorne, sweetness. I'm strictly a non-fighter variety demon. In fact, my specialty is in reading people. It's easiest for me if they sing, but you are projecting like a neon sign. How are you coping?" he inquired gently.

She gave him an uneasy look, trying to decide if he was being sincere. In the end, Buffy figured she'd have to tell the group anyway so she shrugged, "As well as can be expected, I guess. So I take it you can see where I was?" she asked softly.

"Can practically see the clouds, darling," the green demon responded with a sad smile.

Angel straightened up at the exchange, realizing that there was more not being said between the two. "What do you mean? Where were you?" he demanded.

As Buffy started her story, she pulled away from Angel and sat down between Oz and Jim, staying on the edge of the couch. The more she told about the spell and what happened afterwards, the more she unconsciously leaned into Oz for comfort – to the point of him needing to put his arm around her shoulders just to stay comfortable.

What really surprised everyone in the room was when she reached for Jim's hand and held onto it like it was a lifeline. Buffy felt instantly at ease, and Jim was more than happy to help her out. _Especially_ at the expense of the vampire. He knew from Oz that this Angel guy was on their side, but those things he heard the vamp whispering to Buffy made his senses go on full alert. Even the green demon didn't bother him as much Buffy's ex did.

Angel _supposedly_ let Buffy go a couple years ago so she could have a normal life – whatever that meant to a Slayer – but it was clear that he still saw her as his. If she was to heal properly, they would have to keep this vamp far away from her, as he would only confuse her with his continued mixed signals.

He noticed that Oz had a similar look of satisfaction in being one of the people Buffy turned to for comfort instead of her first love. Now all he had to do was find out what Blair thought – although he had a pretty good guess. It would take a lot for anyone to break through her new line of protectors, and if this vampire with a soul tried it, he would suddenly find himself in an ashtray.

Angel was still stinging from Buffy pulling away from his embrace before. When he saw her hand grasp the tall man's, his demon pushed forward and he let out a low, possessive growl. To make matters worse, Buffy only gave him a vague look, then continued her story without even considering his feelings. Plus, he didn't miss the smirk on Jim's face.

Wesley watched the drama unfolding and decided to interrupt before anything could happen between the two large men. "We kind of missed part of the introductions earlier. This is Winifred – or Fred – Burkle and Charles Gunn. He goes by Gunn, though. Can we do anything to help, Buffy?" he inquired earnestly.

Buffy shook her head slightly, knowing how he meant it and knowing that they couldn't. "Just help Giles get Faith out so she can take over slaying. I know that he'll have to be her Watcher after what she did to you, Wes. And he can't go to the Council and request another Watcher or they will probably just kill her to get a new Slayer," she explained. Wes gave her a grateful look that she wasn't asking him to be near Faith – rehabilitated or not.

Cordelia – who was getting jealous of the looks Angel was shooting Buffy – said snidely, "So where are you going to go while psycho girl is doing your job?"

Not sure of why Queen C was making an appearance, but not really caring either, Buffy just remarked, "First of all, it's _her_ job and has been since Kendra died. Secondly, Whistler said I _couldn't_ stay on the Hellmouth anymore; just the energies coming from it would poison my soul. So the PTB decided to send Oz to take me away to recover after being yanked out of heaven."

Oz gave her a comforting squeeze and glared at Cordelia. Buffy gave him a smile and continued, "I assume that once I can get up in the morning without wanting to go back there, they'll want me to start slaying somewhere else in the world. You guys prove that not all demonic evil is on the Hellmouth. I'm sure that I'll find my _own_ place to fight the good fight somewhere…after I can handle the simple task of living again."

"She'll be coming back with us, and we'll help her with that. Jim and Blair have done wonders for me, and I think that between the three of us, she'll have _all_ the support she needs," Oz said before Angel could interrupt. He had never said much in the past, but he didn't believe the ensouled vampire was good for his friend.

Blair – who wasn't completely oblivious to the power struggle going on in the room over the blonde Slayer – added his opinion with a cheerful smile, "Yeah, I can already see that Jim feels at ease with her – which is interesting, since they normally would be fighting for dominance. We'll take good care of her," he promised the group.

"Maybe we could help you, Buffy," Angel offered with a pleading tone. He hated the idea that someone else would help her heal. That was his job – even if they had their own baggage to deal with.

Buffy recognized the possessive attitude her ex was sporting and decided to squash it gently, "No, you were right the last time I was in LA; this is _your_ town. It's better if I have a fresh start. Besides, there's too much demonic energy here, and I'd just get sucked back into slaying before I was ready for it. Oz said the small demon community in their town is mostly non-violent. That would be a huge weight off my shoulders."

She gave the group a small grin before suggesting, "But if you really want to help me, please help Faith. Without the Scoobies to help her and Giles out, she could really use some back-up until she feels more confident about herself."

As they were leaving the hotel, Blair saw the glare on Angel's face and felt a perverse need to tweak the vampire a bit. He casually put his arm around Buffy's waist and pulled her closer to his side. He caught the amused expression on Jim's face when he noticed Buffy respond by returning the gesture and leaning her head on his shoulder.

Once they got to the van, Buffy turned to her men and asked with a smirk, "So, are you three done marking me as your territory?" When they hung their heads in shame, she laughed to let them know she wasn't upset. "Don't worry, I'll let it go this time. Angel had to learn the lesson that I'm not his concern anymore. I only hope that you weren't doing it _just_ to bug him."

Oz chuckled lightly, "Nah, that was just a perk."

"What Oz said," Blair agreed sheepishly.

Putting his hands on her shoulders to get her attention, Jim looked her straight in the eye. "I hope this doesn't come out too chauvinistic, but you _are_ ours to protect and help. And if we thought that he could actually do you any good, we would be alright with his assistance. But I think I speak for all of us when I say that he would only tear you in two directions with his possessive, yet distant act." The other two nodded their agreement.

Buffy slapped him playfully on the chest before getting in the vehicle. "Normally, I'd smack you – _hard_ – for the attitude, but unfortunately you're right this time. I need help, and Angel isn't the right one to give it to me. Guess you three will have to do. So, what's there to do in Cascade for fun?" she asked with a hint of excitement as she buckled up.

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A/N: Next…The sequel, set in Cascade, Washington.


End file.
